‘Bud Lite’ Now ‘Bud Rules’

The big sports story is the return of the NBA’s Messiah, Michael Jordan as Oz of the Wizards. The hallelujahs from on high have come from NBA Commissioner David Stern all the way down to the longest suffering fan of Abe Pollin’s wretched club.

But Jordan’s return to the league he reinvented was not the most IMPORTANT story.

In the ambience of an Arizona resort hotel, the Lords of Baseball reinvented Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

They restored the man sports columnists once belittled as “Bud Lite” and “Kenesaw Molehill Selig” to the power that was stripped from the commissioners office in 1994, when Fay Vincent was forced to retire.

Thanks in part to the incredible contract George Steinbrenner is about to bestow on shortstop Derek Jeter - $118.5 million over seven years - the Lords were jarred to their senses. And even with the bar raised that high for Jeter, it will serve merely as a reference point for the salaries to come. Salaries that will be commanded by Seattle Mariners superstars Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr., and others. They are the mother lode players who, coupled with their rapacious agents, will ramrod Major League Baseball to the brink of another strike/lockout in 2001-2.

The owners gradually declawed the commissioners who came after Bowie Kuhn. Peter Ueberroth was a CEO whose cavalier hints on how they could get around free agency cost them more than $10 million each in collusion penalties. Bart Giamatti was a Renaissance scholar from Yale who pursued Pete Rose’s gambling with a resolve last seen in “Les Miserables.” Vincent, a Giamatti disciple, was purged during a power play between the small-market peons and the superstations.

And during the long period Selig was an interim shadow-commissioner who ruled a strike- and lockout-devastated industry through a sometimes shaky consensus, he could do little without the votes lined up. The historic “best interests” powers of the commissioner’s office had been replaced by what’s best for Ted, Rupert, Jerry, George and whatever multimedia conglomerate used its baseball investment as a loss leader.

Now, the former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers can block or void trades, “in the best interests” of the game.

Now, Selig can fine a ballclub as much as $2million for violating the broad best-interests caveat. And he can fine an individual - listening, King George and Emperor Rupe? - up to $500,000.

He can do it without worrying about an arbitrator tossing it out. Right or wrong, Bud can do it because he wants to.

Which is what absolute power is all about.

And, perhaps more significant than anything that happened in Phoenix, the Lords handed Selig the keys to the treasury. Selig can now divert income from wealthy clubs to financially distressed franchises when it appears the game’s competitive balance is threatened.

Baseball’s financial week has been a microcosm of the wild disparity in the value of the pastime’s stars.

Jeter can finally afford Mariah Carey or the rock diva of his choice.

Meanwhile, just 110 miles southwest of Yankee Stadium, Phillies GM Ed Wade made the best signing of the 21st century.

Right fielder Bobby Abreu will earn $14.25million during the life of a three-year contract that pays him a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $2.6 million this year, $4.65 million in 2001 and $6 million in 2002.

It is hardly chump change, but to put the deal in perspective, consider that this averages less money per year than the Phillies paid unproductive Gregg Jefferies.

And when measured against Jeter’s record contract, Abreu could represent the most bang for the buck in baseball.

Both players are 25 with their best seasons ahead of them. Jeter, a superb shortstop, had an off-the-charts season for manager Joe Torre: .349 with 134 runs scored, 219 hits and 102 RBI. What the Phillies have in Abreu, however, is a young player who still has a significant upside.

Now, Selig can rule that the Yankees must distribute a portion of their lush TV income to the Phillies, the Pirates, the Expos, the Royals, whoever, for the sake of competitive balance. Ditto, the Braves, Dodgers, Cubs or Diamondbacks.

The sidebar to Selig’s historic Phoenix coronation is that the American and National Leagues formally ceased to exist as independent entities. They are now no different from the NFL’s National and American conferences. Everything flows to the commissioner’s office.

In another eyebrow-archer, the owners agreed to turn over all income from their Internet enterprises to the commissioner’s office. Although no formal use has been designated for this potential cash cow, it could be another source of funds for small-market clubs.

OK, Bud can’t just hand out money. The greedy Players Association will demand the right to approve any revenue redistribution, correctly claiming that revenue sharing was collectively bargained as part of the Basic Agreement. It is one more reason to keep the bomb shelters well-stocked with old World Series videos come the next negotiation.

“The developments of the last two days in any historical context are staggering, inconceivable 10 or 12 years ago,” Bud said after the most important two days of his stewardship.

Who would have thought that in the wake of Michael Jordan’s return to the NBA, this baseball headline wouldn’t stir a ripple of interest:

“Bud Rules!”